The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1887-08-11
ABOUT RAIN.
HOW CLOUDS ARE FORMED AND
RAIN PRODUCED.
An Interesting Article on the Subject
by an Intelligent Correspondent Of
the StatesviIle Landmark.

Correspondence Statesville Landmark. I
Clouds in the air are collections of
vapor which, when sufficiently con
densed or run together, make solid
drops of water, and these now unsup-
ported by the air fail to the earth and
it rains.
This thickening of the vapor into
liquid is produced by the cloud strik-
ing a cooler atmosphere, or coming
into contact with more cloud or with
more moist air. A cloud therefore
in passing over the earth in the heat
ofsummer will be repelled or attracted
by the amount Of dry or damp air
that is rising or circulating from the
ground
In densely wooded districts on ac-
count of protection from the sun by
the shade of trees, and the accu-
mutation of leaves and dead fragments
of timber under them, there is always
in hot weather more or less damp air
ascending. So when an ordinary sum-
mer cloud reaches such a place, if the
state Of vapor in that cloud is near the
point to form solid drops, the reinforce
ment from the increased moisture in
the air will make rain.
On the other hand, if such a cloud
should approach barren waste upon
which the rays of a summer sun were
falling, the hot air from the earth
would work it into thinner vapor if
not into viewless mists. 1t never rains
on the great sand plains and deserts.
The hot dry air from the uncovered
surface dissipates the clouds as they
approach.
In our own neighborhood, some
twenty miles south of this, many years
back, a large area of land between
Lincolnton andsskhe Catawba river
was cleared of the forest timber tc
make coal for the furnaces and iron
works that were in operation there al
that time. This with the cultivation
lands left no shade, and the soil most
ly of sand and gravel made it an al
most arid spot. The summer showers
in this section mainly come from the
southwest, and have to pass over these
coaling grounds. A cloud forming
in the neighborhood of Lincolnton OF
beyond there, would move off north
easterly as usual. In a dry time its
angry front and deep growls were re.
garded as joyful tokens by the farmers
who lived east of the "coalin
grounds" for they knew that the
darker it looked, and the more terri
bic its utterings, the more likely il
would be to run the gauntlet of the
little desert. The chances were
though, that it would not get through
There is a small mountain in the coal
ing grounds named Anderson's noun.
tain. 1t can be seen from the top O.
the female college building here. The
black cloud, beneath which when
it started no line of light could be
seen thundered on its way until touched
by the hot breath of the coaline
grounds. All at once an unmstakablt
yellow light would begin to dimly
outline the top of the mountain, .anC
sickly pallor would gradually dis
port itself up through the centre Of thl
cloud, which would finally divide, one
end falling away in the direction 0
Charlotte and the other toward
Statesville. The State5ville end fre
quently gathered itself together by thu
time 1t reached the Catawba river neal
Sherrill's Ford. Then it would NEE
up with the cool moisture that rise:
from the extensive woods of that neigh
| borhood and make rain. This hap
pened in those times over and owe
again.
1t is vet remembered how some Q
the old farmers between the river anC
the mountain used to look and act OF
such occasions. See one Of them wher
an apparent necessity for shelter from
ram takes him to the house. He pass
es to a point in the yard for the bes
view of the approaching cloud whicl
has already obscured the sun. H
watches the mountain, down the sid
of which if the rain should fall it vii
first be discoyerable His hat is il
his hand. The advance wind accompa
nying this cloud has already reachet
him, and he gratefully abides the coo
evaporation of the sweat from his brow
His corn in the field is twisted, ant
the muscles which hold up his hear
are relaxed from the memory of tn
oftrepeated disappointments, and
beats labbily. But he still hopes, unit:
suddenly the grey cast is visible anc
with it the ejaculation comes, cd
the mountain, it has split the cloud.
The mountain had no friends to tn
east of it save few fox-hunters VIII
preferred the chase to full crops. TIL
mountain was the home of the foxes
Rivers turned into desert places, i
time have raised forests along thei
course and brought rain where it ha
not been known to rain. On til